AS Review - October 29, 2012

Review

News // Events // Student Life

COVER

Erotic Poetry, pg. 6

ABORTION & MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Election Rundown, pg. 3

HALLOWEEN HORRORS

Ghosts of Bellingham, pg. 4

#6 8 2 2 .

Vol 0.29.1 1

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Poster for the Sexual Awarness Center’s Erotic Poetry Night on Nov. 1 Illustration by Bradley O’Neal AS Publicity Center

review

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Staff Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Designer Writers

Megan Thompson Spencer Pederson Cade Schmidt Bradley O’Neal Nick Markman Lauren Prater Lauren Simmons Kylie Wade Todd Wells

Adviser Jeff Bates

NEWS

3

‘TIS THE SEASON Election season heats up with hot-topic social issues.

EVENTS

8

COLORMAD Western Gallery’s current exhibit is a showcase of color

7

EVENTS CALENDAR See what’s happening around Bellingham

STUDENT LIFE

3

SPOOKY MOVIES What Halloween movie should you curl up on the couch with? We’re here to help.

FEATURES

4

HALLOWEEN MADNESS Bellingham’s most famous ghosts and a halloween history lesson

FUNDRAVER DANCE PARTY Todd Wells • AS Review An electronic rave? A cosmic costume contest? A vibrant light show? This year the second annual FundRaver dance party will be all of this and much more.

Western’s Glee Club is hosting FundRaver II: A Space Odyssey from 8-11 p.m. on Nov. 3rd in the Viking Union Multi-Purpose Room. Tickes are $4 for students, and $6 for general admission.

“The FundRaver is a massive dance party in which there will be a costume contest and continuous music throughout the night,” said former Glee Club president Onaleisha Petty.

For many, DJ Anski will be the highlight of the night.

DJ Anski of Portland, Ore., plays a combination of mashup, remix, club, electro-house and dubstep. In addition to his music, Anski will also be bringing with him an accompanying light show.

Last year DJ Anski performed at the first ever Fundraver, and gained enough attention to be invited back for a second performance. Petty describes Anski’s music as top pop hits turned into active dance music. This year he is accompanied by Synthetic Colors.

In their own display of musical talent, Synthetic Colors blasts a combination of pop and dance music. The Seattle based duo played at last year’s FundRaver event and this year they are back to kick off the event.

Last year’s FundRaver event had a neon/white theme, but this year attendees will be dressing out of this universe. Expect to see plenty of extraterrestrial creatures and astronauts, but still keep your eyes peeled for alien invaders and maybe even Felix Baumgartner.

The costume contest, featuring awards and prizes, will be a climactic part of the evening, but costumes are not required.

If interested in attending, student should RSVP on the FundRaver Facebook page as soon as possible. Last year the event hosted 800 guests with hundreds more who were turned away at the door wishing that they had signed up. Guests who RSVP online will also be automatically entered into a series of free raffles.

For an intergalactic night of non-stop dance, crazy costumes and up-beat music, make sure not to miss FundRaver II: A Space Odyssey.

October 29, 2012 • 3

ELECTION RUNDOWN

This week: Freedom to Marry and Aborition Lauren Simmons • AS Review

Many individuals, especially the collegestudent demographic, tend to pick and choose which political issues they care most about.

The multitude of social issues swirling around the current election season have reared their ugly head, and where the candidates stand in Washington state and in D.C – is complicated to say the least.

Currently, two of the most controversial social issues are: one, LGBT rights, primarily in regards to same-sex marriage; and two, abortion.

Marriage Equality

Only six states in the United States recognize samesex marriage – Conn., Iowa, Mass., N.H., N.Y. and Vt. Over the past four years, President Barack Obama has expressed his support for the LGBT community through legislation, action and direct statement.

“Obama is pretty supportive of the LGBT community, and he’s proven that time and time again,” said Evan Fowler, president of Western’s American Campaign Transparency. “Case and point, [he repealed] Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; and also, the Obama administration refuse[ed] to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act.” The Defense of Marriage Act was a law making it difficult, if not impossible, for someone in a same-sex relationship to be federally recognized in terms of getting benefits, Fowler said.

On May 19, 2012, President Obama stated in an interview that he supports same-sex marriage. What is interesting about this move by the president is that he did not immediately say this when he took office, or even when he first ran, Fowler said. The decision to state his support was genuine, but also had a lot to do with public polls and the base of the Democratic Party, who is very understanding to the LGBT community.

In terms of Mitt Romney, his situation and stance on the issue is a bit more complicated. The Republican Party has two sides when it comes to gay marriage; they are somewhat schizophrenic on the issue, Fowler said.

There is the one group, the moderate republicans, who believe that government has no place in the bedroom, Fowler explained. Then there is the other group, the more conservative republicans, who are very religious

and believe that religion should be enforced through the government. They believe, and often quote, that America is “one nation, under God,” and cite that marriage should be between a man and a women because of such, Fowler said. These conservative republicans do not recognize that marriage is sanctified by the state, legally; they feel that marriage is entirely a religious matter.

Because of the party he represents, it has been difficult for Romney to blatantly express his stance on gay marriage. Going off of his record in Massachusetts, he has a moderate attitude, Fowler said. Romney’s base is more excited about faith and family values, so he needs to focus on maintaining such a platform in order to foster his supporters. He has to keep his base happy if he wants to win, it is not really important how he feels about gay marriage, Fowler said.

To be put simply, President Obama is very supportive of the LGBT community, while Romney is sitting on

Fowler said. McKenna cannot afford to be aggressive toward the LGBT community even if he wanted to because he is running in Washington State.

Abortion

Abortion is a social issue similar to the marriage equality issue, Fowler said. The primary different is that this subject matter is much more controversial for people who are conservative.

“A lot of people who are staunch conservatives – working, upper-to-middle class – pay taxes and spend money toward the federal government, [but] they don’t necessarily do their homework on where their money goes,” Fowler explained. “[This leads many] to believe that this money that they are sending to the government is going to abortion clinics where they are killing babies.”

Conservatives, who are typically very Christian and very religious, see themselves as having blood on their hands by having their tax dollars assist in the killing of babies, Fowler said.

There are two sides to the Republican Party, like with marriage equality.

There is one group, the one described above, that says abortion is unacceptable in all situations, and that it is a bad use of tax-payer dollars, Fowler said. The other group says that abortion is acceptable in situations of rape, incest and life-threatening situations; these individuals can be considered the moderate Republicans, Fowler said.

Romney is a part of the second group of republicans, which ultimately means he is not going touch the issue and not try to change what we have right now, Fowler said.

President Obama believes in pro-choice, and supports the woman’s right to choose.

Because of the current media structure and available access to information, cultural connections and regions, it is almost impossible to have a civil debate in regards to abortion, Fowler said.

“It is almost impossible to sit down and discuss [the] issue because the facts have been skewed to a point where we’re not talking about a couple of talking heads saying things, we’re talking about what tens of millions of people believe, completely, 100 percent, certain things that are in direct opposition to what other people believe 100 percent, and they all have the right to vote,” Fowler explained.

[People] don’t necessarily do their homework “many] on where their [tax] money goes. [This leads to believe that the money that they are

“

sending to the government is going to abortion clinics where they are killing babies.

Evan Fowler

the fence, Fowler said. Romney’s supporters, individuals identifying with the Republican Party, are generally not supportive of the LGBT community.

“You always want to try and understand the mindset of the opposing side,” Fowler said. “You want to understand how people think of opposing LGBT [rights], and logic sometimes isn’t always applicable in things like faith. The whole purpose of religion is faith, it’s not logically coming to a conclusion – it is faith.”

In regards to the Washington state governor’s race, the situation is pretty identical to that of the president’s race, Fowler said. Jay Inslee, the democrat, and Rob McKenna, the republican, are very similar candidates, thus their party lines and the people who stand behind them try and separate the two candidates.

Inslee is a huge supporter of the LGBT community and stands behind Referendum-74, which will enforce the freedom to marry in the state of Washington. He shares his platform with the majority of Washington,

Missed an Election Rundown? Go online to as.wwu.edu/asreview to catch up on the current issues for the 2012 election

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October 29, 2012 • 5

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Bellingham gettin’ spooky since 1854 Two statues stand at the entrance to Wardner's Castle.

Photos by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

HALLO-HISTORY

A lesson in our Halloween traditons Nick Markman • AS Review

The myth of "Angel Eyes," grave of William H. Bland and his two wives, claims that on the eve of a full moon, blood streams from the statue's eyes.

HAUNTED BELLINGHAM Lauren Prater and Cade Schmidt • AS Review

D

o ghosts and spirits walk among us on a daily basis?

Most people don’t realize Bellingham has its own haunted past. Everywhere from Fairhaven to the bayside, haunted encounters have been documented all over this historical town.

Bayview Cemetery was opened in 1888 and is now home to some of Bellingham’s most notable characters. From war veterans to poets, it’s hard to comprehend how some of these people ended up in this town. Although some Bellingham residents would be pleased to tell their stories of ghostly encounters in the graveyard, there are two events that seem to be both reoccurring and utterly hair-raising. “The Deathbed” and “Angel Eyes” are grave sites located only a few feet away from each other. “The Deathbed” is the empty tomb where Edmund L. Gaudette’s wife was to be burried, and is said to shave years off your life span if you’re brave enough to take the plunge and lay down on the grave itself. “Angel Eyes” is the statue above the grave of William H. Bland and his two wives. The haunting legend claims a woman that was unjustly murdered because she was supposedly a witch, may be burried beneath the Blands. People say that the statue’s eyes bleed during the full moon, and others say they see her ghostly figure roaming around at night.

At the corner of 15th and Knox stands a three story purple frame, which was once home to the infamous Jack Wardner.

Wardner was a wealthy miner who bought over 135 plots in Fairhaven, building many companies and estates over the years. Supposedly, he even purchased an island near Bellingham’s coast that he dedicated to skinning and selling black

cats, later naming it “Consolidated Black Cat Company, Ltd.” He once referred to it as his “cat ranch.” Some claim many stray black cats in the area may be attributed to this. Many say that Wardner himself gained infamy from turning the skinned cat meat into soup and feeding it to other cats. Having been built in 1890, the Wardner castle has been placed into the state historical register. The house is extremely large, having twenty-three rooms, six fireplaces and was once a bed-and-breakfast. Many people have had close encounters with the so-called spirits that reside inside the castle walls.

Although it’s impossible to be sure, it’s said that the spirits and ghosts that still seem to live inside the home were the original members of James Wardner’s family. One woman said to have been awoken in the middle of the night by a dark figure standing alongside her bed. She stated that the figure stayed there for a few minutes then disappeared, leaving only a cold, lonely sensation inside her bedroom. Another woman claimed to have not gone inside the castle but only spent a few seconds admiring the building from the sidewalk. When she returned home that night, she had an intense dream of a thin, long-haired woman in a hospital gown, staring at her from one of the upstairs windows. Several theories have been created and told over the years as to how haunted the hilltop house really is, and what exactly took place inside the home many years ago.

Lastly, our own Wilson Library is said to have a lurking ghost, one that has been around for many many years. Built in 1928, the historic building is said to have a ghost that wanders the lengthy bookcases at night. There have been recol-

lections of the elevator ending up on the fifth floor when only the third and fourth floor buttons were pushed, cold breezes passing through staff members late at night or even students recalling that they tried accessing doorways that ended up leading to nowhere. Are these accounts just coincidence or is there a ghostly presence? The Wilson Library ghost is said to be a once-librarian Mabel Zoe Wilson, who helped create the library and invented the first card catalog for students to use. She worked at the library for 43 years until it was finally dedicated to her in 1964. The same year, she fell down a stairwell in her apartment, breaking her shoulder and dying two months later.

Several encounters with the Wilson Library ghost are said to have happened at night near the second floor women’s restroom, according to Linda Moffitt’s “Washington’s Haunted Hotspots”.

After researching what exactly a ghost is, not all ghosts are that of an evil spirit, and many ghosts can reside in places of their happiest memories, which is what may be the case in our very own library.

As the most haunted time of the year seems to creep closer and closer, be aware of these eery locations and what they entail. Whether you’re brave and want to venture into the depths of the most haunted places in Bellingham, or you’re looking to avoid them as much as possible, good luck.

It seems as if the coldest places seem to get colder, and the darkest places seem to grow darker. Is this just fall slowly fading into winter, or is there a deeper meaning?

Halloween is a holiday full of imagery.

From carving pumpkins to trick-ortreating to dressing up in costume, but the many elements comprising a modern Halloween celebration often seem unrelated. Although the history of Halloween is less concrete and celebrated than other holidays, there are still many cultural and historical relevancies from the past that have aided in the creation of the current frightening, fall time celebration.

All Saint’s Day and All Hallows’ Eve Halloween’s original name comes from All Hallows’ Eve, a European Christian holiday celebrated on Oct. 31. All Hallows’ Eve occurred the night before All Saint’s Day, which has been one of the major Christian feast holidays.

“It’s a religious holiday,” Assistant Professor of History Laurie Hochstetler said. “It’s meant to be a remembrance of those who had died.”

It is perhaps from this emphasis on the dead during All Saint’s day that led to the modern Halloween’s fixation on ghosts, ghouls and the dead, Hochstetler said.

TRICK-OR-TREATING For many people, children in particular, trick-or-treating is the highlight of Halloween. During All Saint’s Day and other Christian Holidays in Europe, it was more common to see the poor knocking door-to-door for donations of food.

“It was considered an obligation of those who were wealthy to offer alms to the poor on religious holidays,” Hochstetler said. “It was quite normal for the poor to assemble either at the parish church to receive their donations or they could go house to house.”

There are other historical potentials that led to the current version of American trick-or-treating. During the 19th century in Great Britain and Ireland, children participated in “souling.” They would go door to door and sing songs paying homage to the dead in return for cakes and sweets.

COSTUMES While dressing up in costumes, sometimes called “guising,” has been prevalent in societies since the ancient Greeks and Romans, the current practice of guising yet again has roots in All Saint’s Day and other Christian European holidays of the 15th century.

Hochstetler said that dressing up during celebration times was a common Christian practice as a way to temporarily invert the social order and play makebelieve.

“It was a sort of inversion of traditional roles,” Hochstetler said. “It’s considered one of the safe, contained ways that people could express their feelings about society.”

CARVING PUMPKINS From the pumpkin patch to your doorstep, carving jack-o-lanterns is a staple of modern Halloween. The origins of the jack-o-lantern are debated, but many believe it to have roots in the Celtic holiday of Samhain.

In Ireland, Scotland and the British Isles, people used to carve jack-olanterns out of turnips and beets. This practice was said to imitate the popular folklore of Will-o’-the-wisp. According to the folklore, a man named Jack tricked the devil and entrapped him, promising to let the devil go only if he swore not to condemn Jack’s soul to hell. When Jack died, he was forbidden from entering heaven since he lived a life of sin, but was also not allowed into hell, as per the devil’s promise.

The devil then mockingly gave Jack an ember from the fires of hell that would never go out and Jack carved out a hole in a turnip, and placed the ember inside only to wander the earth for the rest of eternity, searching for a place to rest.

Thus, the name Jack-o-lantern was born.

The current version of the jack-olantern came about when the Europeans settled in North America and discovered the pumpkin, a much more suitable vegetable for carving.

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HALLOWEEN MOVIES

A look at a few spooky movies for the season Lauren Simmions • AS Review

Halloween (1978)

Released in 1978, the original Halloween film by John Carpenter is said to have begun the slasher movie genre of today. This low-budget movie is the epitome of the bad guy versus babysitter theme, with an introduction to the killing of characters because of their sexual promiscuity and/or substance abuse. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Laurie Strode, a teenage girl who is babysitting on Halloween night. Earlier that day, Michael Myers, who murdered his sister exactly 15 years before, escapes from a sanitarium and heads to his hometown to stalk and torment some of the town’s teenagers – including Laurie. Myers wears a white mask throughout the film; the mask is actually a William Shatner mask from Star Trek. Even though the film is recognized as an iconic horror film, very little blood is shown throughout.

SCARY SCALE: 3

Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007)

In comparison to the horror films being released today, Halloween is a different beast; the film relies more on suspense, rather than loud noises and terror sequences. If watched in context, it is pretty eerie.

In 2007, Rob Zombie remade – and re-imagined – the Michael Myers character. Zombie’s “Halloween” is similar to the 1978 original, but this film focuses a lot

of Myers’ background and the events leading up to the murder of his sister. Though the two films share the same characters, and Zombie’s adds a few, the 2007 remake is vastly different in regards to gore, violence, nudity and shock value – which is something Zombie is known for [i.e. his films “House of 1000 Corpses” and its sequel “The Devil’s Rejects”] SCARY SCALE: 5 The extents of the murder scenes, even within the first half hour, are shocking to say the least. This movie is not for the rainy-day horror film viewer.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Hocus Pocus may not be a horror movie, but it definitely screams Halloween. A Disney movie loosely based off of the Salem witch trials, the film introduces the Sanderson sisters, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy, who practice witchcraft in Salem, Ore. and are rumored to eat children. Fastforward to the present-day Salem, 1993 at the time of its release, where a new family has moved to the town right around Halloween. Max and Dani, the brother and sister who had just moved to Salem, accompany Allison, the love-interest of Max, to the Sanderson sister’s “haunted” home where they accidentally bring the sisters back from the dead on Halloween night. With a talking cat,

a haunting song and the ridiculous antics of Middler, Parker and Najimy, this film is appropriate for all ages to celebrate Halloween with.

SCARY SCALE: 1 Aside from a mute zombie and the simulation of a hanging, Hocus Pocus is a family-friendly Halloween movie.

Insidious (2011)

One of the more recent horror films, Insidious is a new kind of ghost story. Released in 2011, the film is centered on a family whose son goes into the attic of their new home and falls off a ladder, but appears to be fine. The next day, the son does not wake up and doctors say that he is comatose. The film then unfolds as the boy becomes a portal for ghosts who terrorize the family’s home and unleash the family’s secrets. Adorned with ghosts, demons and other beings, this movie keeps the audience guessing what is real and what is not, and in the end, there is no escaping the torment of the supernatural.

SCARY SCALE: 4 Regardless of what the viewer’s feelings are around possession, Insidious is full of scares, loud scenes and frightening villains. If someone wants something to watch in the dark, watch this.

For the full story, go online to as.wwu.edu/asreview

EROTIC POETRY NIGHT

M

A night for students to freely express human sexuality Nick Markman • AS Review Humans, like all animals, are sexual creatures. We rely on sex to reproduce and thus ensure the survival of our species. We can also rely on sex to provide intimacy, connection, or pure enjoyment in our lives. But if humans are so sexual, why does the topic of sexuality sometimes seem like such a closed, forbidden issue?

The Associated Students Sexual Awareness Center and Women’s Center will host Erotic Poetry Night in collaboration with the Underground Coffee House and the Voices of Planned Parenthood club in order to provide an open, safe space where students can freely talk about sex and sexuality. The event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 1 from 6 – 9 p.m. in the Underground Coffee House. Erotic Poetry Night is free for all students.

Sexual Awareness Center Coordinator Taneum Bambrick said that the vision for erotic poetry night is to create a place for people to talk about sex, sexuality, gender, or societal norms without being judged.

“Our goal was to sort of debunk a lot of sexual myths and create a platform where everyone had access to

sexuality, talking about sexuality and being comfortable with sexuality,” Bambrick said. “Not only is it a really fun event, its also really powerful, personal and lasting.”

While Erotic Poetry Night allows students to be open in expressing their sexuality, the Women’s Center and Sexual Awareness center pre-screens all submissions to ensure that no one at the event will feel offended or triggered.

“We just want it to be a pleasant experience for everyone,” Women’s Center Coordinator Kristy Hathaway said. “We want to make sure that we’re covering everything and making sure no one is going to say anything that might upset someone.”

As of now, over 160 people have said they will attend Erotic Poetry Night on Facebook.

“Obviously the topic is pretty popular with students,” Hathaway said. “It’s good to express sexuality in a healthy way and the way that sexuality is expressed in the media isn’t always healthy, so I think this is a good alternative to that.”

This will be the second Erotic Poetry Night in AS history. Last year, it was voted the best new AS event.

“It’s really exciting to create an event that lasts and sort of carries on throughout the years,” Bambrick said.

“We’re really, really excited that it’s going to keep going.”

Bambrick said that this year’s event will focus on sexual health as well as sexuality in general. AS Communications Director Mario Orallo-Molinaro will emcee the event and present skits on barrier methods such as condoms and dental dams in between performers spoken word presentations.

The Sexual Awareness Center Assistant Coordinator Marya Kampmann said the Erotic Poetry Night will attempt to normalize different types of sexuality to make sure that everyone has a space to be sexual.

“Humans are sexual beings and there are lots of ways to be sexual,” Kampmann said. “There are so many options out there and it’s important for everybody to realize how they are sexual and that there is a place for everyone on the whole spectrum of sexuality.”

October 29, 2012 • 7

EVENTS CALENDAR Wednesday, Oct. 31

Monday, Oct. 29

Friday, Nov. 2

Fall World Issues Forum Bahrain: The Uncovered Uprising When: 12-1:20 p.m.

Where: Faihaven College Auditorium Price: Free

Disney Trivia Night When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Underground Coffee House Price: $1

Tuesday, Oct. 30

Thursday, Nov. 1

Weed, Taxes and Democracy When: 7 p.m.

Where: Artzen 100 Price: Free

Performance: Cabaret When: 8 p.m.

Where: Performing Arts Center 16 Price: Free

Saturday, Nov. 3

FundRaver p. 2 When: 8-11 p.m.

Where: VU Multi-Purpose Room Price: $4

p. 6

Erotic Poetry Night Where: Underground Coffee House When: 7-9 p.m.

Price: Free

Sunday, Nov. 4

Theatre and Dance: An Experiment With an Air Pump When: 2 p.m.

Where: PAC Mainstage Theatre Price: $12

For more events and info. go to as.wwu.edu/events

L!ve

Music

Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review Illustration by Spencer Pederson

Monday Oct. 29

Tuesday Oct. 30

Wednesday Oct. 31

Cabin Tavern AS Productions Wild Buffalo Glow The Shakedown

Friday

Karaoke w/ Amy G

The Company Corporation

Hey Marseilles, Kris Orlowski $10

Lukas Nelson, Current Swell $12-15

Nov. 1

Saturday

Nov. 2

Nov. 3

Sunday Nov. 4

Kings of the Philistines, East Coast Drive

Open Mic Night B-Boy Conference Vol 30

Free

Sonido Acuario $4

CHALI 2NA, Blessed Coast, Roc C

$3

The Battle

Community Art Show

Eagle Teeth

Tom Waits $3

Goth Night

Horror Business, Lost Children,

Boundary Bay Brewery Green Frog

Thursday

$5

Revenge of the 90’s

Typhoon, Laura Gibson, Lost Lander

$7

Nappy Roots, The Good Husbands, Knucklehead

$12-15

The Bad tenants, Triceracor, Scribes

$5-6

Crow Quill Night Owls, Sansa and Sheri

The Listers $5 Christopher Nunn Band

Soul Night w/ DJ Yogoman

Polecat

SmokeWagon, Weather Side Whiskey Band

Hillfolk Noir, John Elliott, The Peculiar Pretzelmen

The Maldives, Kithkin

Open Mic Night

8 • as.wwu.edu/asreview

COLORMAD Western Gallery brings out the color for current exhibit

"Chromosome Painting Light Boxes" by Geraldine Ondrizek.

Photos by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

Todd Wells • AS Review Just a few yards away from students’ everyday route through campus lays one of Western’s hidden gems: The Western Gallery. Step through the colorful Southwest entrance to the Fine Arts building, hang a right and you will find yourself in an eclectic sea of colorful art.

Currently, the Western Gallery is featuring ColorMAD, an exhibition of varied artwork that embodies every color in the light spectrum. From bright red photographs to pulsating light projections, numerous pieces of art encourage students to explore the countless sensations and emotions affiliated with color.

“Color perception, as one writer poetically puts it, is less a retinal and more a total bodily activity. Color enlivens. It jumps across physical boundaries and blurs distinctions between the senses: one sees red, tastes green, feels blue and hears yellow,” describes Western Associate Professor Barbara Miller in her essay description of ColorMAD. “I’m going to see red,” said Director of the Western Gallery, Sarah Clark-Langager. “Somebody else may see it through taste, or somebody else may see red and get

warm in their hands.”

It’s all a matter of perception, and we all perceive things differently. Take for example one piece of art in the collection co-designed by the physics and art departments. In this simplistic yet effective piece, white light passes through a prism and separates apart each individual color. Here a simple piece of glass changes the way in which we see light.

In another interactive display, one must pass through black curtains to enter an isolated room. Within the room, opposing walls are lit with dynamic moving projections of light. On one wall, colors change in a circular pattern, on the other, they move in a series of columns.

The displays may sink one person into a calm meditative state while drive another into a boiling sensation of rage and destruction. We are all very much affected by color.

The Western Gallery is without a doubt something that every student should become familiar with. But, how do exhibitions like ColorMAD come to be?

In Miller’s class, Exhibition Theory and Practice, art students studied the history of museums then chose

from various sources and from their own collection of art to adorn the Western Gallery. This year, after coming back from an art, literature and science conference, Miller suggested doing the fall exhibition on color. With an approval from Clark-Langager, Miller dreamt of becoming color mad.

Once Miller’s students had selected the pieces of art that they wanted to showcase, Paul Bower, another Gallery Director and a museum specialist began putting the artwork on display. He and a handful of exhibition design interns lit the gallery, hung the art and decorated the rooms. Within a week from the start of school the gallery was complete and ready for visitors.

For the interns, creating a real life exhibition like ColorMAD in the Western Gallery is a professional level experience. Such practice gives interns the potential to pursue gallery design and similar careers outside of Western.

ColorMAD will be on display until Nov. 21. To learn more about ColorMAD or the Western Gallery, visit http://westerngallery.wwu.edu/.